The Berlin Film Festival’s parent organization, KBB, which oversees state-backed cultural events in the German capital, has published job advertisements for four key executive roles ahead of the arrival of new event director Tricia Tuttle in April.
They include a new role of Chief of Staff, which is described as a key management-level position within the Berlinale leadership team.
The appointee will provide close support to Tuttle, who will be the Berlinale’s sole director after doing away with the dual management structure tried with the late technical director Carlo Chatrian and general manager Mariette Riesenbeek.
According to the announcement, the chief of staff’s duties will include “proactive and effective selection, prioritization and control of all communications from festival management to ensure the smooth exchange of information.”
Putting the Berlinale’s communication strategy on track will be a priority for the new management team, after a difficult 74th edition in which Chatrian and Riesenbeck came under internal and external criticism, due to the way they handled and communicated a dispute over German Cup invitations. The far-right Alternative for Germany party and the debate on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Chief of Staff will also represent the administration in meetings with the KBB and the German Minister of Culture, BKM, when and if necessary.
German film industry insiders have suggested that dealing with these two bodies could be one of the more difficult aspects of the director’s role for Tuttle, as she deals with local politics and the German language.
KBB is also advertising for an “Inspiring and Motivating Leader” for the role of Berlinale Pro Manager.
This position replaces the position of European Film Market (EFM) Director recently held by Denis Rohe, who ran four editions of the market from the fall of 2020 and left at the end of the 2024 edition after his contract was not renewed.
The new position will include the position of Director of the European Film Market, as well as the development of medium- and long-term joint strategies for the Berlinale Pro Consortium, which includes the EFM, the Co-production Market, Berlinale Talent and the World Cinema Fund.
Deadline has heard of a few professionals considering joining the EFM circuit, however, the requirement of a strong level of spoken and written German alongside English is likely to pose a barrier for some experienced candidates.
EFM was previously headed by Dutch-born Matthijs Wouter Knoll from 2014 to 2020. He is now CEO and director of the Berlin-based European Film Academy.
Before that, the market was led by Istanbul-born Swiss industry expert Becky Probst, who launched the EFM festival in 1988, on the back of the then-modest decade-long film fair.
The other two roles consist of the Director of Program and Production Operations, and the Director of Finance and Business Operations.
Program Operations and Production Manager He will oversee the implementation of the audience program, ensure production and security services at red carpet events and other venues, and guest accreditation and protocol.
They will also coordinate with TV and radio stations covering the festival, develop new partnerships with cinemas and maintain relationships with existing locations.
In the job description for the position of Director of Finance and Business Operations, KBB said the CEO would be responsible for the financial management of the Berlinale, revealing an annual turnover of around 30 million euros ($32 million).
The role will also include supporting the management of the IT department, with modernization of the festival’s IT and data systems described as an “important focus” over the next three years.
All posts come for a maximum of five years and require a high level of spoken and written German and English.
The deadline for applications is April 16, except for the Berlinale Pro Director, which is April 7.